Extension-table.



No. 694,439. Patantodllar. 4, I902.

E. J. SPINK.

EXTENSION TABLE.

- (Application filed m 14, 1901.

- 2 sheets-Sheet l.

IHH IIII HIH (noma llllllllllllll 'illll 15 W l/qfibvw No. 694,439. I Patented Mar. 4, I902.

9 E. .1. SPINK.

EXTENSION TABLE.

(A iplication filed Mar. 1491901. 7 (llo Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

. I 6 Z Z; 27 i 1,2 1

THE NORRIS mans 0a., n'wro-umo" WASHINGTON n. c.

UNITED STATEs I PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD J. SPINK, OF DAVENPORT, IOIVA.

EXTENSION-TABLE.

SPECIFICATION forining part of Letters Patent No. 694,439, dated Marchl, 1902. Application filed March 14,1901. Serial No. 51,125. I (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD J. SPINK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Davenport, in the county of Scott andState of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Extension- Table,of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to extension-tables, the object in view being to provide an extension-table having, in combination with fixed and movable table -top sections, a flexible slatted-top section which is interposed between the fixed and movable sections and associated with one or more metal guides which engage with the flexible section intermediate the opposite side edges thereof for the purpose of guiding the flexible section-asit is folded and rollingthe. same up into campact shape beneath the'plane of the table-top.

One of the principal aims of the present invention is to so combine the flexible section with the guides thereforas to locate the guides between the side edges of thetable-top and render it practicable to construct all of the table-top sections of uniform width, thereby doing away with any objectionable offsets or projections which give greater width to certain portions of the table-top than others.

In connection with the several table-top sections and the guiding means for the flexible section it is also an object of the present.

invention to provide end f supporting legs which have yokes connected to the movable end section and to the extension-slides, so as" to establish a firm connection between the central and end portions of the table.

With the above and other objects in view,-

which will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel construction, combination, and .ar-

rangement hereinafter set forth, illustrated,

, tion of the table. Fig. 3is a side elevation of aportion of the table, showing one end drawn outward. Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the end section pushed inward. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of one of the end-supporting legs, including the yoke and its brackets.

atively to the center panelor fixed section 1. .The fixed section 1 has united to its lower side the parallel guide-bars 3, in connection with which the usual extension-slides 4: are employed, and said extension-slides tare connected at their extremities by a cross-bar 5. 1 The fixed section 1 is supported by means of a center leg 6, connected at its upper end to a frame 7, affixed to-the guide-bars 3. The end-supporting legs 8 are provided with the U shaped yokes or leg-frames 9, having arms of different lengths, to eachof which is rigidly secured a flangedmetal bracket 10, provided with openings to receive suitable fasteners by means of which the brackets are firmly connected to the movable end section 2 and to a cross-bar 11,.connecting the adjacent ends of the extension-slides 4 inthe manner illustrated in Figs; 2 and 4.. In this way the endsections'2 are rigidly and firmly connected to the extension-slides 4, so as to enable the end sections to be drawn awayzfrom the central fixed section or pushed toward the same.

By constructing the yokes 9 in the form illustrated and described provision is made for folding the flexible sections of the tabletop upon the guides hereinafter described and within the plane defined by the yokes 9. The

flexible table-top section 12 is composed of a series of slats which are preferably tonguedand grooved, so as-to interlock in the manner illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3, thus keeping the slats in alinement with each other. The slats are all connected together by means of several flexible connecting-strips 13 and 14, arranged, reepectively, on opposite sides of the guides hereinafter referred to. The strips 13 and 14 may be of any suitable flexible material, such as textile fabric, and are extended inward far enough te connect firmly with the lower surface of the center panel or fixed section 1, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 4. The strips 13 and 14 are preferably united to the slats by cement or other suitable adhesive material. The flexible table-top section 12 is provided in its lower side with a plurality of guide-grooves 15, which in cross-section are of T shape or, in other words, provided with the oppositely-extending undercut portions 16, adapted to receive the oppositely-projecting flanges 17 of a U-shaped metal guidestrip 18, one end of which is rigidly held by suitable fasteners 19 in the groove 20, formed in the grooved outer surface of a guide seat or stem 21, which consists of a metal block mortised to the upper edge of the end of cross-bar 5 and held in place by the same fasteners 19 above referred to. It will be understood that one, two, or more of said guides may be employed, and each one of them is curved in involute form, as shown in the several figures of the drawings, so that when the flexible'section 12 is folded, as shown in Fig. 4, it will lie within the space between the upwardly-extending arms of the yokes 9 of the end-supporting legs 8 and be protected thereby. The particular form of engagement between the slats of the flexible section and the guides {prevents any disengagement between the slats and guides and enables the slats to traverse the guides with ease and very little friction. Furthermore, the particular construction of guides affordsastableand comparativelyrigid structure thatwill not readily collapse or bend. In order to form a close joint between the movable end sections 2 and the flexible section 12, the inner edges of the sections 2 are preferably rabbeted, and crossstrips 22 are set flush in the rabbets and have their inner edges chamfered on the under side, so as to allow the slats of the flexible section to readily slide beneath the same in the act of folding the flexible sect-ion.

The end sections 2 are provided with the usual end and side rails 23 and 24, respectively, and the center panel is'also provided with side-rail sections 25, the extremities of the side-rails sections 24 and 25 being beveled, as shown at 26, to abut against the slats of the flexible section or lie in close proximity thereto when the end sections are pushed inward, as shown in Fig. 4.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the guides for the flexible table-top section are located at points intermediate the opposite side edges thereof, and by reason of this arrangement in connection with the yokes on the endsupporting legs it is practicable to construct all of the table-top sections of uniform width, thereby doing away with the objectionable feature of having top sections of difierent widths and unsightly and undesirable projections or ofisets, which are easily discernible even when the table is covered by the usual cloth. The construction described also enables the table to be easily and quickly extended or contracted and does away with the necessity of using detachable leaves such as are now in common use.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is- 1. In an extension-table, the combination with a fixed section, of a movable section comprising an end and slides spaced therefrom, said slides having a slidable engagement with the fixed section, a leg supporting the movable section, a yoke having its ends secured respectively to the end of the movable section and the slides leaving an intermediate open space, a guide secured at its upper end to the slides in the space between said slides and the end, and depending below the slides, and a flexible top section supported upon the slides and having a slidable engagement with the guide, whereby said flexible top will be located within the yoke when the movable section is arranged contiguous to the fixed section.

2. In an extension-table, the combination with a fixed section, of a movable section comprising an end and slides spaced therefrom, said slides having a slidable engagement with the fixed section, a leg having a yoke, the ends of which are secured respectively to the end of the movable section and the slides, leaving anintermediate open space, a guide secured at its upper end to the slides contiguous to the space and located below the plane of the top and within the vertical planes of the sides of the yoke, and a flexible top section secured to the edge of the fixed section and having a slidable engagement with the guide, whereby said flexible top will be located within the yoke of the leg when the movable section is arranged contiguous to the fixed section.

3. In an extension-table, the combination with a fixed section, of a movable section comprising an end and slides spaced therefrom, said slides having a slidable engagement with the fixed section, a leg having a yoke, the ends of which are secured respectively to the end of the movable section and the slides leaving an intermediate open space, an involute guide secured at its upper end to the slides contiguous to the space and located below the plane of the top and within the vertical planes of the sides of the yoke, and a flexible top section secured to the edge of the fixed section and having a slidable engagement with the guide, whereby said flexible top will be located within the yoke of the leg when the movable section is arranged contiguous to the fixed section.

4. In an extension-table, the combination with afixed section, of a movable section comprising an end and slides spaced therefrom, said slides having a slidable engagement with the fixed section, a leg having a yoke the ends of which are secured respectively to the end and slides of the removable sectionleaving an intermediate open space, an involute'guide secured solely at its upper end to the slides contiguous to the space and depending below the plane of the top and within the vertical planes of the sides of the yoke, and a flexible top section secured to the edge of the fixed section and having a slidable engagement from the end member, said end member and 7 substantially U shape in cross-section, and,

with the guide, whereby the said flexible top will belocated within the yoke of the leg when the movable section is arranged contiguous to the fixed section.

5. In an extension-table, the combination with relatively fixed and movablesectious,

one of said sections comp'risingan end having a flat top and a slide-frame having a slidable' engagement with the other section and spaced slide-frame being connected, a flexible top secured to the other member and normally supported upon the slide-frame, and a guide 'ar-' ranged to receive the flexible top and de pending in the space between the end member and the slide-frame, said guide having its upper end located substantiallylevel with'the upper edge of and secured to the outer end of the slide-frame, whereby said guide will receive the flexible top immediately upon its movement from the slide-frame.

6. In an extension-table, the combination with a fixed section havingatop, of a movable section having a top and a slide-frame spaced from the top and slidably engaging the fixed section, means connecting the top and slideframe of the movable sect-ion to hold them' in fixed relation,'a curved metallic guide .se-

cured at its upper end to the outer end of the slide-frame, and comprising an involute strip provided with outstanding side flanges, and

a flexible top secured at one end to the fixedf section and having an undercut groove that receives the flanges of the guide-strip.

7. In an extension-table, the combination with fixed and movable table-sections having rigid tops, of extension-slides slida-bly engaging the fixed section, a flexibletop secured" to seat secured to the cross-bar and consisting of a block having a curved surface which is grooved to receive a portion of the guide;

9. In an extension-table, the combination with a fixed section, of a movable section com prisinganend and slides spacedtherefrom,

' said slides having a slidable engagement with the fixed section, a connection between the end and slides to maintain their spaced relation, a guide secured at its upper end to the slides and having said upper end located substantially level with the upper edge of the slides and depending beneath the same, and a flexible top supported on the slides and havinga sliding engagement with the guide immediately on its movement from the slides.

10. In' an extension-table, the combination with a fixed section having a flat top, guide- 7 bars secured to the under side thereof, anda leg secured to the centerof the guide-bars, of a movable section comprising an end and a slide-frame spaced therefrom andhaving a sliding connection with the guide-bars of the fixed section, a yoke connecting the end and 'slide frame to maintain their-spaced relation,

a guide secured at its upper end to theslideframe and depending below the same in the space between the frame and end, and a fiexible top secured'to one edge of the fixed top and engaging the guide. V

Intestimony that I claim the foregoing as the presence of two witnesses. V

EDWARD J. SPINK;

Witnesses: a

W, ScHRoEDER, ALFRED SPINK.

V V my own I have hereto affixed my signature in 

